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Town and Wiltshire councillor Simon Killane has spoken out after a petition calling for his resignation was signed by nearly 150 people and an official complaint was made against him.

Town councillor Julie Exton said she submitted an official complaint to the monitoring officer at Wiltshire Council after what she says was an abusive phone call from Coun Killane on Good Friday.

She said Coun Killane demanded she support him publicly on social networking site Facebook or he would not support any grant applications for Malmesbury Vics Football Club, of which Coun Exton is treasurer.

Coun Exton’s son Chris set up the online petition and a paper version has been circulated.

Coun Exton has said: “I think it’s very true what people are saying in the petition. It’s taking people a lot of courage to come forward and say how they feel.”

But Coun Killane, who chairs the Neighbourhood Steering Group, Wiltshire Council’s scrutiny committee, and is vice chairman of Malmesbury Area Board, has now said that the petition, representing a minority of the 4,000 electorate, has ‘no credibility’.

He expressed concern for his family’s welfare and said: “In my view this is an intentional hate campaign against me with no substance behind it.

“It’s damaging my reputation in the town, it’s totally upsetting my wife and it’s creating a divide in the town towards me and my family; it’s totally out of order.

“In my time as a councillor tell me why then I have never had a complaint launched against me through Wiltshire Council.

“What exactly is it that I have done as a councillor that warrants my resignation? Something serious must have been done but I don’t see anything serious.

“Many of the people on that site [Facebook], in my view, have a special grievance with something I have done to make our town a better place.”

Sgt Martin Alvis, of Malmesbury Police, said: “Measures have been put in place in response to some complaints received following some posts put up on social networking sites.

“A couple of people have received advice in respect to what they have posted and some posts have been removed.

“If people aren’t happy with a certain councillor there is a complaints procedure to follow.

"Some people need to grow up and stop hiding behind their Facebook profile.

“Malmesbury is better than this and we’ve got far better things to do then sort out people’s discussions on Facebook."

Wiltshire Council has confirmed that a complaint has been received and would be dealt with in the normal way.

Comments

[deleted]
2:49pm Fri 9 May 14

[deleted]

"Some people need to grow up and stop hiding behind their Facebook profile"
How do you hide behind a facebook profile? By definition it shows exactly who you are so your publicly visible.
Playing a sympathy card?
“It’s damaging my reputation in the town, it’s totally upsetting my wife and it’s creating a divide in the town towards me and my family; it’s totally out of order.
The only person who has damaged their reputation and creative any divide is the person whose actions have led to all of this surely. What grounds would anyone have let alone a collective, to suddenly single out a specific councilor unless there were good grounds.anon emouse

"Some people need to grow up and stop hiding behind their Facebook profile"

How do you hide behind a facebook profile? By definition it shows exactly who you are so your publicly visible.

Playing a sympathy card?

“It’s damaging my reputation in the town, it’s totally upsetting my wife and it’s creating a divide in the town towards me and my family; it’s totally out of order.

The only person who has damaged their reputation and creative any divide is the person whose actions have led to all of this surely. What grounds would anyone have let alone a collective, to suddenly single out a specific councilor unless there were good grounds.

Score: 1

underdogs
12:01pm Sun 11 May 14

Councillor Killane, it is good to see you have influence in society that warrants police involvement, a newspaper story and an investigation by Wiltshire Council !!!
If only all residents in Wiltshire, especially those subjected to socio economic exclusion, those who suffer abuse and neglect and are subjected to discriminatory treatment and abuse or hate incidents,, those who are classed as ' Adults at Risk - Vulnerable ' and may be disabled and elderly could receive such a response - but NOT IN WILTSHIRE !!!
Clearly where you have POWER and are well connected your possible hate incidents discrimination and abuse may be looked into - whereas others less well connected continue to suffer - whilst being stifled by the 'Establishment Clique ' in Wiltshire ? WHERE NOBODY CARES .

Councillor Killane, it is good to see you have influence in society that warrants police involvement, a newspaper story and an investigation by Wiltshire Council !!!
If only all residents in Wiltshire, especially those subjected to socio economic exclusion, those who suffer abuse and neglect and are subjected to discriminatory treatment and abuse or hate incidents,, those who are classed as ' Adults at Risk - Vulnerable ' and may be disabled and elderly could receive such a response - but NOT IN WILTSHIRE !!!
Clearly where you have POWER and are well connected your possible hate incidents discrimination and abuse may be looked into - whereas others less well connected continue to suffer - whilst being stifled by the 'Establishment Clique ' in Wiltshire ? WHERE NOBODY CARES .underdogs

Councillor Killane, it is good to see you have influence in society that warrants police involvement, a newspaper story and an investigation by Wiltshire Council !!!
If only all residents in Wiltshire, especially those subjected to socio economic exclusion, those who suffer abuse and neglect and are subjected to discriminatory treatment and abuse or hate incidents,, those who are classed as ' Adults at Risk - Vulnerable ' and may be disabled and elderly could receive such a response - but NOT IN WILTSHIRE !!!
Clearly where you have POWER and are well connected your possible hate incidents discrimination and abuse may be looked into - whereas others less well connected continue to suffer - whilst being stifled by the 'Establishment Clique ' in Wiltshire ? WHERE NOBODY CARES .

Score: 11

MalmesburyInsider
3:44pm Mon 12 May 14

It makes me cross seeing this reporting when it is so obviously not true. 100's locally have made complaints to Wiltshire council and the Town council over many years and nothing has been done about it. He called a disabled woman and shouted at her so badly over the hone her friend could hear in the next room. Wiltshire council took no action and that lady has lived in fear of him, there is an endless list.
Wiltshire council don't have a policy on bullying or intimidation.
Even if he doesn't come clean and own up to what is clearly true in Malmesbury at the very least there should be some system for him to receive behaviour management therapy!!!

It makes me cross seeing this reporting when it is so obviously not true. 100's locally have made complaints to Wiltshire council and the Town council over many years and nothing has been done about it. He called a disabled woman and shouted at her so badly over the hone her friend could hear in the next room. Wiltshire council took no action and that lady has lived in fear of him, there is an endless list.
Wiltshire council don't have a policy on bullying or intimidation.
Even if he doesn't come clean and own up to what is clearly true in Malmesbury at the very least there should be some system for him to receive behaviour management therapy!!!MalmesburyInsider

It makes me cross seeing this reporting when it is so obviously not true. 100's locally have made complaints to Wiltshire council and the Town council over many years and nothing has been done about it. He called a disabled woman and shouted at her so badly over the hone her friend could hear in the next room. Wiltshire council took no action and that lady has lived in fear of him, there is an endless list.
Wiltshire council don't have a policy on bullying or intimidation.
Even if he doesn't come clean and own up to what is clearly true in Malmesbury at the very least there should be some system for him to receive behaviour management therapy!!!

Score: 16

[deleted]
9:06am Wed 14 May 14

[deleted]

Its disgusting how this supposed pillar of the local community is getting away with bullying local people, now is misrepresenting the truth in the local press. To top it all is having the gall to take Martin Snell's memory and try and use that for political gain. Martin had to step down from being mayor due to this shameful power grabbing individual and his female companion Mrs Power,
I hope people in Malmesbury see through this power crazed man and vote in someone from the fire service to replace Martin, or someone from his family.
Malmesbury has been turned into a real life version of 1984 but without the love or empathy!LocalJackdaw

Its disgusting how this supposed pillar of the local community is getting away with bullying local people, now is misrepresenting the truth in the local press. To top it all is having the gall to take Martin Snell's memory and try and use that for political gain. Martin had to step down from being mayor due to this shameful power grabbing individual and his female companion Mrs Power,
I hope people in Malmesbury see through this power crazed man and vote in someone from the fire service to replace Martin, or someone from his family.
Malmesbury has been turned into a real life version of 1984 but without the love or empathy!

Score: 4

[deleted]
11:35am Thu 15 May 14

[deleted]

He looks like a sleaze bag.
He's got that smug smirk that makes one want to punch him in the face.
Much slimer than Claire Perrys grinshed

He looks like a sleaze bag.

He's got that smug smirk that makes one want to punch him in the face.

Much slimer than Claire Perrys grin

Score: 1

ryuk-remmy
6:34pm Thu 15 May 14

This is a joke that simon is again trying to put down all the ppl that have signed this petition this is a large number of ppl in Malmesbury and the petition can only get larger and after his latest u turn to me his words now mean nothing I say he should stand down and put him self back up for election that way the ppl in Malmesbury can truly choose if he should be in office for Malmesbury oh and if this is upsetting my name is stuart causer I wont hide behind a profile or be a keyword warrior and I find the comments about simon family being targeted is disgusting ive never seen any comments regarding his family and I now feel the need to ask as he does for proof of this

This is a joke that simon is again trying to put down all the ppl that have signed this petition this is a large number of ppl in Malmesbury and the petition can only get larger and after his latest u turn to me his words now mean nothing I say he should stand down and put him self back up for election that way the ppl in Malmesbury can truly choose if he should be in office for Malmesbury oh and if this is upsetting my name is stuart causer I wont hide behind a profile or be a keyword warrior and I find the comments about simon family being targeted is disgusting ive never seen any comments regarding his family and I now feel the need to ask as he does for proof of thisryuk-remmy

This is a joke that simon is again trying to put down all the ppl that have signed this petition this is a large number of ppl in Malmesbury and the petition can only get larger and after his latest u turn to me his words now mean nothing I say he should stand down and put him self back up for election that way the ppl in Malmesbury can truly choose if he should be in office for Malmesbury oh and if this is upsetting my name is stuart causer I wont hide behind a profile or be a keyword warrior and I find the comments about simon family being targeted is disgusting ive never seen any comments regarding his family and I now feel the need to ask as he does for proof of this

Score: 6

GavJones
10:37am Fri 16 May 14

Just another example of a man with no principles, changing course like a housefly to remain in office.
Take the previous posters advice, stand down and put yourself up for re-election.

Just another example of a man with no principles, changing course like a housefly to remain in office.
Take the previous posters advice, stand down and put yourself up for re-election.GavJones

Just another example of a man with no principles, changing course like a housefly to remain in office.
Take the previous posters advice, stand down and put yourself up for re-election.

Score: 4

Norm chipp
12:31pm Thu 22 May 14

If anyone who saw this disscussion on facebook, still think it is a hate campain, then your no better than Him.He called people names and made a big mistake in doing so. Even if it was deleted by him to hide it. It should still be hidden on his and others hard driv.Maybe Mr Killane should think again before making the above ststement.

If anyone who saw this disscussion on facebook, still think it is a hate campain, then your no better than Him.He called people names and made a big mistake in doing so. Even if it was deleted by him to hide it. It should still be hidden on his and others hard driv.Maybe Mr Killane should think again before making the above ststement.Norm chipp

If anyone who saw this disscussion on facebook, still think it is a hate campain, then your no better than Him.He called people names and made a big mistake in doing so. Even if it was deleted by him to hide it. It should still be hidden on his and others hard driv.Maybe Mr Killane should think again before making the above ststement.

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